Packers Coach Matt LaFleur Addresses ‘Concerning’ David Bakhtiari Absence

Getty David Bakhtiari, Packers

It’s been an offseason of question marks around Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari, who is in the final year of his contract and has been the frequent subject of trade rumors. He has also not practiced since Tuesday, and eyebrows were raised when he even sat out the entirety of Packers’ Family Night at Lambeau Field on Saturday—the team’s intent had been to make sure Bakhtiari was ready for Saturday.

The Packers have no identified a specific injury with Bakhtiari, but coach Matt LaFleur indicated on Saturday that this type of close management of Bakhtiari’s practice time most likely will just be a fact of life for Green Bay this season.

“This could be the case throughout camp, this could be the case throughout the season, in terms of the load we put on him,” La Fleur said. “We’ve just got to get him to Sundays.”

Bakhtiari’s Health a Constant Concern

That has proven to be tricky in recent seasons. For the first seven years of his career, Bakhtiari was a very reliable starter. But he suffered a season-ending knee injury late in the 2020 season, just a month after he had signed a record four-year, $105 million contract to make him the highest paid lineman in league history.

Bakhtiari returned in 2021 after ACL surgery, but played only one game before he went out again. He came back for part of the season finale that season, but was not able to return for the playoffs.

Bakhtiari missed six games last season, mostly because of the knee, though he also needed an emergency appendectomy in December.

Because Bakhtiari’s contract is up after this year, and because he turns 32 at the end of September while suiting up for a team that is clearly rebuilding, he has come up frequently in trade rumors. But with Jordan Love taking the reins at quarterback in place of Bakhtiari’s good friend Aaron Rodgers, the Packers want his steady hand in the lineup as much as possible.

Earlier in camp, LaFleur said his goal with Bakhtiari is, “Just get a gauge where he is at, how he is feeling. Everybody knows we’re a better offense, a better football team when he is on the field. He is one of the elite offensive linemen, left tackles in the game. We’ve got to do whatever we can to get him to Sunday. He’s got enough experience and enough reps that he doesn’t have to be out there every day, and he doesn’t need to be out there every day.”

Center a Problem for Packers

Having Bakhtiari on the field along with left guard Elgton Jenkins gives the Packers two anchors on an offensive line that has question marks, especially in the middle. Center Josh Myers, last year’s starter, has not looked sharp in training camp and could lose his starting job to Zach Tom.

Tom, a fourth-round pick in 2022, is projected to be the Packers’ starter at right tackle, replacing Yosh Nijman at the spot. But if it becomes necessary for Tom to replace Myers, it could mean Nijman gets a reprieve, remaining with the starters.

Eventually, Tom could replace Bakhtiari at left tackle (he was projected to be a second-year breakout player by PFF this year) but for now, he could land next to him at center—if Bakhtiari is healthy, of course.